What is a group of animals called in general?

There's no single umbrella term. Each species has its own specific collective noun, though "group," "herd," and "flock" are commonly used as safe general fallbacks.

Why do animals have group names?

Most trace back to The Book of Saint Albans, published in 1486, which cataloged terms used by medieval hunters and falconers to describe the animals they encountered.

What is the rarest animal group name?

Terms like "boogle" (a group of Indonesian mountain weasels) or "buffoonery" (a group of orangutans, an animal that's actually mostly solitary in the wild) are among the most obscure and least-used entries in this space.

Do scientists actually use these terms?

No. These are traditional, cultural terms, not scientific classifications. Biologists use different terminology entirely when describing animal social structures.

101 Animal Group Names: Complete A-Z List (2026)

TL;DR

A group of lions is a pride. A group of crows is a murder. And it only gets weirder from there.
These are called “collective nouns,” and most of them are older than the United States itself.
Below is the full list: 101 animal group names, organized by category, with the story behind each one.
Spoiler: nobody made these official. That’s actually the best part.

What Is an Animal Group Name Called?

A collective noun is the specific word used to describe a group of a particular animal. A pride of lions. A murder of crows. A parliament of owls.

That’s it. That’s the whole concept.

But here’s where it gets fun: these words weren’t handed down by a committee of scientists. They came from hunters, poets, and monks who spent way too much time watching animals and thinking, “You know what that looks like? A crash.”

So where did all 101 of these names actually come from?

Where Do These Names Come From?

Here’s the truth nobody tells you: most of these names are over 500 years old.

In 1486, a writer named Juliana Berners published a book called The Book of Saint Albans. It was mostly about hunting, hawking, and heraldry. But tucked inside was a list of “companies of beasts and fowls,” a catalog of collective nouns for the animals medieval hunters encountered most.

That list is the reason you know a “murder of crows” today.

Some of these terms are practical. A “labor of moles” makes sense once you’ve seen how much digging a mole colony does. Others are pure medieval humor. A “business of ferrets” sounds like an inside joke that stuck for 500 years, because it kind of is.

The U.S. Geological Survey has also compiled and preserved many of these terms as part of its wildlife terminology resources. So this isn’t just internet trivia. It’s language with a genuine paper trail.

Now let’s get to the list.

The Full List: 101 Animal Group Names (A-Z by Category)

I’ve organized these into five categories so you can actually find what you’re looking for instead of scrolling through 101 entries in a single alphabetical dump. Each one includes the most common alternate name (where one exists) and a quick note on why the term exists.

Mammals

#	Animal	Group Name	Alternate Name	Why This Name?
1	Lions	Pride	—	Reflects the lion’s long association with dignity and status.
2	Wolves	Pack	Route (when traveling)	Describes their tight, cooperative social structure.
3	Elephants	Herd	Parade	A grand, unmistakable arrival, matching the animal itself.
4	Apes	Shrewdness	Troop	Coined in 1486 to describe their perceived cleverness.
5	Gorillas	Band	Troop	Reflects their close-knit family groupings.
6	Monkeys	Troop	Barrel	Monkeys live and travel in cooperative family units.
7	Bears	Sloth	Sleuth	An old term unrelated to the animal now called a sloth.
8	Foxes	Skulk	Leash	Describes their quiet, sneaking movement style.
9	Kangaroos	Mob	Troop	Kangaroos are highly social and travel together for safety.
10	Zebras	Dazzle	Herd	Their stripes blur together in motion, confusing predators.
11	Giraffes	Tower	Journey	An obvious nod to their height.
12	Rhinoceroses	Crash	Herd	A blunt, fitting name for a large, forceful animal.
13	Hippopotamuses	Bloat	Pod	Describes how the animals appear when grouped in water.
14	Leopards	Leap	—	Likely from the way leopards pounce from trees to hunt.
15	Tigers	Ambush	Streak	Reflects their solitary, stalking hunting style.
16	Hyenas	Cackle	Clan	Named for their distinctive, laughter-like call.
17	Mice	Mischief	—	Earned through centuries of household troublemaking.
18	Moles	Labor	—	Refers to the constant digging work of an underground colony.
19	Otters (land)	Romp	Family	Describes their playful, energetic group behavior.
20	Badgers	Cete	Colony	An old term with roots in medieval hunting vocabulary.
21	Ferrets	Business	—	No clear origin, likely just old-world wordplay.
22	Weasels	Confusion	Gang	Describes their quick, erratic group movement.
23	Mules	Pack	Span (a working pair)	Reflects their traditional use as load-carrying animals.
24	Porcupines	Prickle	—	About as literal as collective nouns get.
25	Skunks	Stench	Surfeit	You already know why.
26	Raccoons	Gaze	Nursery	An older, less common but still-used term.
27	Squirrels	Scurry	Dray (a nest specifically)	Describes their quick, darting movement.
28	Bats	Colony	Cauldron (in flight)	Large flying groups can resemble a swirling dark cloud.
29	Camels	Caravan	Flock	Reflects centuries of use in desert trade routes.
30	Buffalo	Gang	Herd	An old ranching-era term still used regionally today.

Birds

#	Animal	Group Name	Alternate Name	Why This Name?
31	Crows	Murder	—	Possibly tied to folklore linking crows to death.
32	Ravens	Unkindness	Conspiracy	Often confused with “murder,” but it’s a separate term.
33	Owls	Parliament	—	Ties into old associations between owls and wisdom.
34	Eagles	Convocation	—	A formal term matching the bird’s regal reputation.
35	Flamingos	Flamboyance	Stand	Named for the birds’ unmistakably vivid appearance.
36	Geese (grounded)	Gaggle	—	An onomatopoeia of their honking chatter.
37	Geese (in flight)	Skein	Wedge	A separate term used specifically for flying formations.
38	Ducks	Raft	Team (in flight)	Describes how they bob together on water.
39	Peacocks	Ostentation	Muster	Fitting for one of the most visually showy birds alive.
40	Falcons	Cast	—	An old falconry term for a released pair or group.
41	Hawks	Kettle	Cast	Refers to large groups spiraling on rising air currents.
42	Swans	Bevy	Wedge (in flight)	An old English term for a small group or gathering.
43	Turkeys	Rafter	Gang	Describes wild turkeys roosting together.
44	Chickens	Peep	Brood	Named for the sound of young chicks.
45	Pelicans	Scoop	Pod	A nod to their distinctive feeding method.
46	Herons	Siege	—	Describes their still, patient hunting posture.
47	Larks	Exaltation	—	One of the most poetic collective nouns on this list.
48	Starlings	Murmuration	—	Named for the low, buzzing sound of thousands in flight.
49	Parrots	Pandemonium	Company	Reflects the noise level of a group of parrots.
50	Vultures	Committee	Kettle (in flight)	Describes them circling together while scavenging.

Marine & Aquatic Animals

#	Animal	Group Name	Alternate Name	Why This Name?
51	Fish	School	Shoal	From the Dutch word for a group, troop, or band.
52	Jellyfish	Smack	Bloom	Describes the sudden, dense clusters they form.
53	Dolphins	Pod	—	A tight, family-based social structure.
54	Whales	Pod	Gam	Whales travel and communicate within close family units.
55	Sharks	Shiver	Frenzy (when feeding)	Reflects their sleek, gliding movement in groups.
56	Manta rays	Squadron	Fever	Describes large gatherings during feeding events.
57	Eels	Bed	Swarm	Refers to how eels cluster together on the seafloor.
58	Octopuses	Consortium	—	A rare sight, since octopuses are typically solitary.
59	Sea otters	Raft	—	Sea otters link together at the surface to rest safely.
60	Crabs	Cast	—	An old term for a group moving along the shoreline.
61	Lobsters	Risk	—	Refers to their tendency to migrate together in lines.
62	Squid	Shoal	—	Mirrors the fish term, given similar group movement.
63	Stingrays	Fever	—	A vivid term for a large group swimming together.
64	Seahorses	Herd	—	A simple, functional term for their small groupings.
65	Clams	Bed	—	Named for the way they cluster along the seafloor.
66	Oysters	Bed	—	Shares its name with clam beds for the same reason.
67	Sea turtles	Bale	Turn	An old term whose exact origin is unclear.
68	Seals	Colony	Pod (in water)	Reflects large coastal breeding groups.
69	Walruses	Herd	—	Describes their large, tightly packed coastal groupings.
70	Starfish	Galaxy	—	Named for how a cluster resembles a star field.

Reptiles & Amphibians

#	Animal	Group Name	Alternate Name	Why This Name?
71	Alligators	Congregation	—	Reflects the way they gather in shared habitats.
72	Crocodiles	Bask	Float (in water)	Named for their habit of sunbathing together.
73	Snakes	Nest	Den (when overwintering)	Refers to shared shelter, not a social group by nature.
74	Lizards	Lounge	—	Fitting for an animal known for sunbathing in place.
75	Turtles	Bale	Turn	Shares roots with the sea turtle term.
76	Toads	Knot	—	An old term with no clearly documented origin.
77	Frogs	Army	Colony	Describes large seasonal gatherings near water.
78	Salamanders	Congress	—	Possibly from the Latin coetus, meaning “assembly.”
79	Iguanas	Mess	—	An older, less common but still-cited term.
80	Cobras	Quiver	—	A striking name for a genuinely striking animal.
81	Rattlesnakes	Rhumba	—	Named after the dance, for their distinctive movement.
82	Tortoises	Creep	—	Self-explanatory, given their pace.
83	Geckos	Colony	—	A general term used across many small lizard species.

Insects & Invertebrates

If you’re dealing with an actual colony in your kitchen rather than just reading about one, here’s how to get rid of ants naturally. And once you’re done with the list below, it’s worth a look at the largest insect in the world, since a few entries on this table are a lot bigger than you’d expect.

#	Animal	Group Name	Alternate Name	Why This Name?
84	Bees	Swarm	Hive (a home, not a group)	Refers to the mass movement of bees relocating together.
85	Ants	Colony	Army	Describes their large, highly organized communities.
86	Butterflies	Kaleidoscope	Rabble	Named for the visual burst of color in flight.
87	Locusts	Plague	Swarm	Tied to their historic, crop-destroying mass migrations.
88	Cockroaches	Intrusion	—	A blunt term matching how most people feel about them.
89	Beetles	Cluster	—	A general term covering many beetle species.
90	Ladybugs	Loveliness	—	One of the most charming names on this entire list.
91	Wasps	Nest	Pack	Refers to their shared, defended living structure.
92	Spiders	Clutter	—	Describes the tangled look of a shared web space.
93	Fireflies	Sparkle	—	A poetic nod to their glowing flight pattern.
94	Grasshoppers	Cloud	—	Refers to large groups seen during migration.
95	Mosquitoes	Scourge	Swarm	Reflects both their behavior and their reputation.
96	Caterpillars	Army	—	Describes their coordinated group feeding pattern.
97	Snails	Walk	Rout	An old, slow-moving term for a slow-moving animal.
98	Worms	Bunch	Clew	A general, functional collective noun.
99	Crickets	Orchestra	—	Named for the layered sound of a group chirping.
100	Moths	Rabble	Eclipse	Describes the chaotic pattern of moths near light.
101	Termites	Colony	—	Reflects their massive, highly structured communities.

15 Strangest and Most Surprising Animal Group Names

Some of these names are functional. Others are just plain weird. Here’s the truth: these are the ones people actually remember.

A murder of crows: Still the most famous collective noun in the English language.
A parliament of owls: Sounds like it should come with voting rights.
A shrewdness of apes: A 500-year-old compliment.
A business of ferrets: No explanation has ever fully made sense of this one.
A cackle of hyenas: The rare collective noun that’s basically onomatopoeia.
A crash of rhinos: Blunt, loud, and completely accurate.
A tower of giraffes: Simple, and somehow still funny every time.
A romp of otters: One of the few terms that genuinely matches the vibe.
A confusion of weasels: Describing chaos with a word that sounds chaotic.
An exaltation of larks: More poem than dictionary entry.
A murmuration of starlings: Also describes the swirling shape they make in flight.
A pandemonium of parrots: If you’ve ever owned one, this needs no further explanation.
A loveliness of ladybugs: The gentlest entry on this entire list.
A rhumba of rattlesnakes: Named after a dance, for an animal you should never dance near.
A galaxy of starfish: Proof that even scientists get a little poetic sometimes.

What Do You Call a Group of Baby Animals?

Baby animals get their own set of collective nouns, and most of them are just as old as the adult versions.

Litter: used for puppies, kittens, and most mammal offspring born in multiples.
Clutch: used for a group of eggs, or newly hatched birds and reptiles.
Brood: used for young birds, especially chickens, still under a parent’s care.
Kindle: used specifically for a group of baby rabbits.
Fry: used for newly hatched fish.
Kits: used for baby foxes, rabbits, and beavers.

Are Animal Group Names Official?

Here’s the honest answer: no.

There is no scientific body, no zoological committee, and no official dictionary that certifies these terms. They’re what linguists call “terms of venery,” a category of language that grew out of medieval hunting and courtly tradition, not biology.

That means you’ll sometimes see two different sources list two different names for the same animal. Both can be correct. Neither is more “official” than the other.

So use them with confidence, but don’t correct someone at a dinner party over it. That’s not really what these words are for.

It’s not the only place things aren’t quite what they seem, either. We’ve cleared up a few Bell Pepper Myths before, and it turns out some vegetables that are actually fruits too.

Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet

Bookmark this one. It’s the 20 you’ll actually use in conversation.

Animal	Group Name
Lions	Pride
Wolves	Pack
Crows	Murder
Owls	Parliament
Elephants	Herd
Fish	School
Geese (flying)	Skein
Zebras	Dazzle
Giraffes	Tower
Flamingos	Flamboyance
Rhinos	Crash
Apes	Shrewdness
Otters	Romp
Larks	Exaltation
Starlings	Murmuration
Jellyfish	Smack
Ferrets	Business
Peacocks	Ostentation
Hyenas	Cackle
Ravens	Unkindness

What 500 Years of Weird Words Taught Me

I compiled this list expecting a straightforward word roundup. What I didn’t expect was how much history was sitting inside it.

Every strange term on this page was once someone’s honest attempt to describe what they saw. A crash of rhinos. A tower of giraffes. A parliament of owls holding court in a tree.

Five hundred years later, we’re still using their words. That’s a pretty good run for a hunting manual.

If this scratched the trivia itch, we’ve got more where it came from, including a full list of animal unusual facts that may surprise you, plus a look at the worlds oldest living trees still standing today.

Which one surprised you the most? I’d genuinely love to know.

101 Animal Group Names: The Complete A-to-Z List (With Meanings & Origins)

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